Flapper valve



United States Patent 2,829 ,37 8 FLAPPER VALVE.

rxel li. Nelson, Chicago, Edward G. Schmidt, La Grange, and Roy H.Zinkil, alr Park, Ill., assignors to Crane Co., Chicago, lll., acorporation of Illinois 4 Claims. (Cl. 4--57) This invention relatesgenerally to valves, and more aarticularly, it concerns discharge valvesfor ush tanks )r the like.

The present application is a division of copending application SerialNo. 397,456 tiled December l0, 1953, now Patent No. 2,774,972, issuedDecember 25, 1956.

The present invention is directed to a simple and convenient mode ofattachment and securement of discharge valve members for Water closetush tanks or the like, especially of the at seating apper type such asis illustrated in the drawing. More particularly, the present inventionavails itself of a simple one-piece wire mounting member adapted toresiliently snap within a central transverse slot in a portionassociated with the outlet portion of the tank, while supporting theclosure member for free pivotal movement into the open and closedpositions.

One of the advantages of this type of mounting is that it can be quicklyand easily made without the necessity ot drawing the closure memberdownwardly over the length of the overflow tube as is the case in aprior art construction which relies on a rubber collar gripping theouter surface of the overflow tube for positioning the closure member inoperative relation.` A further advantage and objective of thisconstruction is to prevent sidewise rotation of the closure member outof operative position by means of the elongated' nature of theengagement between the attaching portion of the wire member and the slotwithin which the same is received.

. Other objects and advantages will become apparent uponfproceedingVwith the specification-read in the light of the accompanying drawing inwhich:

Fig. l is the assemblyrview ofa preferred form of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is the top plan view ofthe same, and

Fig. 3 is an elevation of Fig. 2 as seen from the left.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawingfigures.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 refers to theoutlet portion of a flush tank for water closets or the like, shownfragmentarily, said portion being provided with an outlet opening andincluding a seat surface around the opening at the upper or inner endthereof and overflow means in fluid communication with the outletopening. Although not necessary, a separate member 3 is employed in theillustrated construction through which the iluid discharging from thetank actually flows and which contains the seat surface of the tank.This member may be the seat member in common use as shown, modified tosome extent for this invention. This member is accordingly provided withthe usual port 4 constituting'the outlet passage from the flush tank andthe seat surface S at the upper or inner end of this port. The outletmember extends through the oor of the tank at 6 having the usual uidsealed type ot connection therewith at 7. The overow tube 9 is connectedto the side extension 11 of the outlet member in the usual relation.

The numeral 13 generally designates a at seating type of valve memberadapted to overlie or extend over the top of the seat surface 5 for uidsealed relation therewith in the closed valve position shown. Theportion actually so extending over the top of the outlet fitting isdesignated by numeral 14.

Depending from the closure portion is a suitable oat element 15 such asof hollow rubber construction. A projection 17 extends upwardly from thefrontof the upper surface of the closure member through which passes aflexible chain 19 for lifting of the closure member from the seat intothe open position during actuation of the valve. Extending from the rearof the closure portion 14 is an extending means 22 herein comprising thespaced parallel arms 23 terminating in thickened portions 24 throughwhich aligned apertures 25 extend, as more clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The positioning or mounting member 27 of the present invention ispreferably formed of resilient wire or rod stock and comprises anelongated attachment or otlset portion 28 adapted to snap resilientlyinto position within the slot or elongated opening 29 in the rearwardlyextending portion 31 of the seat member. It should be understood at thispoint that the extending portion 31 represents merely stationary meanson the outlet portion of the ush tank and does not necessarily have tobe an extension of the outlet member 3 but may otherwise be associatedwith the outlet portion as being removably connected to the overliowtube 9 or being an integral part of the oor of the ush tank as a raisedslotted portion thereon.

The central portion 28 is of open loop formation with reentrant sides 33resulting in at least a slightly broader part at the bottom of greatersize than the length of the slot 29 for the yieldable snap actionreception therewithin. This mounting member extends outwardly orlaterally at each side at 35, resting on portion 31 of the seat memberwhich in conjunction with the engagement of the reentrant portions 33with the opposite side 4or undersurface of the portion 31 provides fortight securement of the attachment member 27 on the slotted portion 31.

The attachment member extends upwardly at 36 and then outwardly at 37 toform aligned supports or pivot pins for passage through the openings 25of the closuremember; for free pivotal rotation of thev latter. l -ltshouldbe noted that the pivot pinfsup'portin'g portionsfare at rightangles to the upwardly extending portions 36 of the mounting member soas to prevent the resilient arms 23 of the closure member from movinginwardly oi of the pin portion. The wire attachment member terminates ateach side in rearwardly curved portion 39 over which the resilientrubber or the like arms of the closure member must be passed in theprocess of attaching the closure to the mounting member and whichportions prevent the resilient arms from slipping off in an outward `andrearward direction in the course of normal valve operation. The upwardlyextending portion 36 together with rearwardly curved outermost portions39 thereforecomprise means for retaining the resilient `arms of theclosure member in proper position during operation of the valve.

Preferably the arms 23 are assembled onto the attachment member 27 firstand then the closure member and attached mounting member are looselypassed over the overflow tube, after which the central open offsetportion 2S of the mounting member is pressed within the slot 29 for theinterlockcd retained position of the mounting member relative to theoutlet portion of the tank.

lt should be understood that certain variations and modifications, canbe made within the broad spirit of this invention and it is thereforeintended that the said the upper side of invention1 be` limitedv` onlyybyf the appended claims contrued ,withinsuch broad spirit ofr thisinvention.

We claim:

1.' In combination with a flush tank or the like having an outlet.portion provided with au outlet opening, the latterV portion including aseat surface around the opening at the upper 'endl thereof and overowmeans in fluid communication with the outlet opening, a valve closureengageable` with the. seat surface in the closed valve position, supportmeans on said outlet portion of the flush tank, said support meanshaving a portion with a slot therethrough, means attaching the valveclosure to said supporty means, said attaching means comprising a memberhavingV opposite side portions joined by a portion extending within andthrough said slot, said joining portion having a. narrow portionadjacent the opposite side portions for extension within the slot and aportion beyond the narrow portion of greater size than the length of theslot for retention of the narrow portion within the slot, said' sideportions and portion of greater size than theslot simultaneouslyengaging the opposite surfaces of the portion through which said slotextends for tightness ofy securernent of the attaching means to theslotted portion, at least the joining portion of the attaching meansbeingor resilient flexible material for passage of the portion ofgreater size than the slot through the said slot into, interlockedposition. v

2. In combination with a ush tank or the like having an outlet portionprovided with an outlet opening, the latter portion including a seatsurface around the opening at the upper end thereof and overflow meansin iiuid communication with the outlet opening, a valve closureengageable with the seat surface inthe closed valve position, supportmeans on said outlet portion of the flush tank, said support meanshaving a portion with a slot therethrough, means attaching the valveclosure to said support means, said attaching .means comprising a memberhaving a portion of elongated material formed into anV open offsetextending within and through said slot, the offset portion havingopposite side sections extending beyondl theend limits of said slot andengaging opposite end edges of the slot at: one surface of the slottedportion `for retention of` said offset portion within the slot, themembery comprising the attaching means also having portions extendingfrom the side sections of the offset portion engaging the oppositesurface of the slotted portion, said offset portion being ofresilient'material permitting exure passing through said extending ofthesame through the slotinto interlocked mounted relation.

3. In` combination with av Hush-tank or the like having an, outletportion provided with an `outlet opening, they latter portion includinga seat surface around the oper ing at` the upper end thereof andoverflow means in ilui communication with the outlet opening, a valveclosur engageable with the seat surface in the closed valve pos tion,support means 011 said outlet portion of the ilus tank, said supportmeans having a portion with a sl( therethrough, means attaching` thevalve closure to sait support means, said attaching means comprising amem -ber having laterally extendingportions joined by a cen tralportion, said central portion being of elongated ma terial formed intoan open offset extending within an( through. said slot, said centralportion having a reducer portion adjacent said laterally extendingportions for extension within the slot and a portion beyond the reducedportion of greater size than the length of the slot for retention of thereduced portion within the slot, said laterally extending portions andportion of greater size than the slot simultaneously engaging theopposite sides of the slottedportion for tightness of securement oftheattaching meansto the slotted portion, at least said central portionbeing of resilient material permitting iiexure of the same through` theslot into interlocked relation. 4. In combination with a flush tank orthe like having an outlet portion providedwith an outlet opening, thelatter portion including a seat surface around the opening at the, upperend thereof and overflow means in fluid communication with the outletopening, a valve closure engageable with the seat surface position, saidvalve closure including extending portions, support means on said outletportion of the flush tank, said support means having a portion with aslot therethrough, means attaching the valve closure to said supportmeans for swinging movement into the open and closed positions, saidattaching means Acomprising a mounting member constructed of resilientWire or the like, said mounting member' having laterally extendingportions portions of the closure for'pivotalmovement of the latterthereabout and a central4 portion formed into an open oifset connectingsaid laterally extending portions and extending within and through saidslot, said central reducedjportion adjacent the laterally extendingportions forextension within the slot and a portion beyond the reducedportion of greater size than the length of the slot engaging theopposite sides of the slotted portion fork tightness of securement ofthe relation.

No references cited.

in the closed valve,

offset portion having a 4

